Accidental Beauty - makeup blog, cosmetic and beauty reviews, makeup tips and trickshttp://accidentalbeauty.com
a nerd's guide to living gorgeouslyTue, 24 Sep 2013 00:32:10 +0000en-UShourly1http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1AccidentalBeautyBloghttps://feedburner.google.comColoured Raine Lipstick Swatcheshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccidentalBeautyBlog/~3/0uDQwg4O6mU/
http://accidentalbeauty.com/makeup/product-swatches/coloured-raine-lipstick-swatches/#commentsMon, 23 Sep 2013 22:29:27 +0000Reshahttp://accidentalbeauty.com/?p=3881lipstick shades from Coloured Raine, and so far I absolutely love the line. They have so many delightfully obnoxious, bold and daring shades for you wild-child's out there. I'm talkin' shades of green, purple, yellow, orange..the list goes on.]]>Oh, hey! I’m baaaaaaaack! I wanted to share some really fun lipstick swatches with you all. I recently picked up six of the 40(something) available lipstick shades from Coloured Raine, and so far I absolutely love the line. They have so many delightfully obnoxious, bold and daring shades for you wild-child’s out there. I’m talkin’ shades of green, purple, yellow, orange..the list goes on.

The six shades I picked up are Cappuccino, Dramatica, Plum Fairy, Royal Raine, Persian Queen, and Monroe. They all cost $13 a piece, which isn’t too shabby all things considered. I plan on buying more over the next few weeks, so look out for those swatches. The colors are very pigmented and opaque, creamy and long-lasting. There’s no funny smell or taste to them, which is great because I love to eat and…well, sometimes you can accidentally taste a lipstick that’ll give you an instant ugly-face. Oh, don’t act like it hasn’t happened to you, booboo.

Description:

Lavish and Edgy Uncensored Lips for the bold at heart. These HIGHLY pigmented and unbelievably satin to creamy lipsticks are sure to make heads turn. Formulated for long wear. Enriched with Vitamin E for moisture and protection. Let your lips do the talking!

This is like a slightly toned-down Candy Yum Yum by MAC (lord knows thats a LOUD but lovely color)

how awesome is this nude?? You’d think I wasn’t wearing any lipstick here!

I want you to excuse the “makeup” in these pics. I was testing out a few eyeshadows and didn’t wipe all of it away, so it may appear that I look “tired” and or “beat the hell up” but no, I was just lazy with the removal process. It happens lol. Also, for reference, I’m NC45 in MAC foundation.

Overall, I recommend these lipsticks for anyone looking to get a few side-eyes from folks. These lipsticks shades are not for the “safe”. They are statement shades that catch the eye, start conversations, and shock the timid. Some of the colors are pretty standard, but some will definitely scare you — and I love it! There are a known handful of cosmetic companies that focus on the colors other companies aren’t trying to futz with, and I plan on trying as many of them as I can. But so far, so good with Coloured Raine. I’m very happy with my purchase. I love the packaging, as well as the lipstick tubes. They’re not as sturdy as say a MAC lipstick tube, but seeing as how this is a smaller company, I think they’re doing a damn good job.

I personally cannot wait for some of the shades that are out of stock to return because they seem like they’d be beautiful, especially that Arabian Night shade. Wooo Jesus, I must have that! If you’re tried anything from this line, let me know your thoughts!

Just wanted to give you guys a quick heads up. A lot has happened since my last post — good and not so good, but the great thing is I’m alive and well, and will continue blogging.

Can I be honest with you?

Of course I can…

So here’s the thing, I have many passions in life. There are a lot of things I really enjoy doing. Blogging about girly stuff is a one of them. Being a new natural is another, and lastly, I am obsessed with cooking. I had to figure out just how to do all three of these things without getting bored and overwhemled, so I figured I’d tie them all together. I found myself growing bored by just focusing on beauty and makeup. I then said, “Ok, I’ll create a site for natural hair”, but then I said “Nah, something else is missing…” and that’s when it hit me that I need to cook and share my recipes with the world. The thing is, cooking is my biggest passion in life. I want to own a restaurant one day, that’s how serious I am about it. My food blog is another creative outlet for me and seriously makes me happy. I love the feedback from people telling me how my recipes have gotten their boyfriends to do more work around the house, or have simply gotten them more intimacy. Since I don’t have a restaurant right now, this is the next best kind of gratification for me. I love introducing people to new flavors and new ways to make their kitchen experiences amazing. So, just simply posting swatches of 345 lipsticks got a bit boring and redundant for me. Then you just kinda get sick of looking at all the ridiculous piles of makeup you have — even though you love it, it can still get a bit sickening. I have so much makeup you guys. I truly do love it all, it’s fun and expressive, but it can get a overwhelming to just focus on that 24-7, not to mention, makeup is expensive! I haven’t bought any makeup in damn near 8 months — except for a few of those MAC Beauty Blogger items, just to support my fellow beauty bloggers. But the fact remains I needed a break from everything. The blush, the gloss, the swatches, the eyebrow plucking, the brushes, the PR companies hounding me hourly, the PR items piling up week by week while they all demand a review immediately despite your terms…I had to get away. I took a nice long break and am now re-engineering my sites so that they all work together and are affiliated with each other. You’ll notice that they’ll have the same look and feel, just with different colors. Bottom line is, I am now happy knowing that I can blog about different topics and not have to stick to just one. I like to dip my feet into a lot of different things lol. My happiness means everything to me, if I’m doing something and I’m not happy then it’s not worth it. I am now happy with how things are going and it’s really exciting.

Accidental Beauty will continue to be my blog about beauty and skincare. Curl Please is my natural hair blog, and it’s definitely coming in about 2 weeks or less. I am almost done with it, just fixing a few kinks here and there, so if you signed up to guest-post — get ready, because I will need you and will be emailing you guys over the next few days. Carnal Dish is my food blog, which is up and running right now, and that is where I’ll post my recipes and “fat girl” delicacies. All of this makes for a happy Resha.

Even though I’ll have 3 sites connected, I’m still going to be a very busy girl. Social life, job, etc. I get home late, and don’t exactly have a decent window of time to blog so late in the evenings. I don’t have the luxury to stay at home all day and just blog, although that would be pretty sweet. I won’t be able to write a blog post every single day, it’s just not realistic for my lifestyle at the moment, but I will try my best to update as often as I can. I have a great new camera and fabulous new lenses to take better photos and all that. I am also planning to revamp my entire makeup station so that it’s more organized than it already is. So, things are moving, things are in the works and progress is being made. I want to apologize to anyone who may have visited this blog and felt disappointed there hasn’t been an update for so long, but it is what it is, and because this blog doesn’t make a whole lot of money for me, I still have to work to make ends meet — I’m sure you all can understand that

I wanna say thank you to everyone for sticking by me thru all of this and just know that in a few weeks, things will be back to normal.

*poplocks and skips out*

ps. I know the new header doesn’t work yet but it will soon. You’ll soon be able to switch back and forth between all three sites with just the click of a button — but for now, just type in the web address

]]>http://accidentalbeauty.com/life/updates/feed/25http://accidentalbeauty.com/life/updates/Curl, please…looking for natural hair guest bloggers!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccidentalBeautyBlog/~3/g0Fbi1g1YCE/
http://accidentalbeauty.com/features/hair/natural-hair-care/curl-please-looking-for-natural-hair-guest-bloggers/#commentsThu, 03 Mar 2011 21:27:18 +0000Reshahttp://accidentalbeauty.com/?p=3848new natural hair blog and I am hella excited about it, and I want YOU to be a guest-blogger! I have another writer who will also share her natural hair journey along with myself, but I'd love to have a few extra's sprinkle my new hair blog, Curl, please.. (a spin on "Girl, please" -- something I'm always saying!), with their expertise and know-how. Is this you??]]>I’m starting a new natural hair blog and I am hella excited about it, and I want YOU to be a guest-blogger! I have another writer who will also share her natural hair journey along with myself, but I’d love to have a few extra’s sprinkle my new hair blog, Curl, please.. (a spin on “Girl, please” — something I’m always saying!), with their experiences as well. Is this you??

I’ve officially been “natural” for almost 3 months, and my hair is growing like crazy. It’s still short though, but it’s healthier than ever. I have type 4a hair mostly, with bits and pieces of wild ancestry here and there lol. My hair is truly unique, just like yours! My goal is to not have this just be “Resha’s Hair Blog”, but to showcase the many textures, curl patterns and experiences from other hair types from all women doing this natural hair thing. However, I don’t want this to be a big huge myriad of hair types either — I’d like to keep it simple…but that’s where the guest-blogging comes in. Every once in a while, I’d love to feature a totally different voice.

For example, you could guest-blog about any of the following:

-Product reviews (don’t worry if there are repeat product reviews, as everyone experiences a different outcome, but it’d be fun to see which product worked for one and not the other)

-Hair recipes/concoctions

-Video tutorials (or video versions of any of the topics here)

-Picture tutorials

-Tips/tricks/advice/expertise

-Salon experiences (for those who might be looking for a salon that specializes in natural hair)

-Other natural hair experiments (trying 2 new conditioners? let us know which one worked better)

-Share your own natural hair stories (why you went natural, and what you’re loving/hating about it)

-Natural hairstyles (including protective styling and cute wigs)

-New accessories/tools (did you find a brush better than the Denman, let us know!)

-Natural hair product hits & misses (from your own experience, what worked for you, what didn’t?)

-Various topics of discussion

-Transition stories/advice

You get the picture. I know this all sounds heavy and complicated but trust me, it will be very simple and not this biiiig message board’like blog. I’m just giving you guys options here, so you don’t have to wonder what to write about if you choose to contribute. These are all topics my regular writer and I will cover as well.

I ask that you have decent camera skills and are able to take a clear photo that isn’t blurry or shaky. You don’t have to have an expensive camera — but just take great, clear photos with the one you have. No camera phone pictures — please! I feel that clear photos are incredibly helpful for people to see things the way you intended. I also ask — especially for reviews — that if you absolutely can, use your own photos. I don’t mind stock-photos if it’s a super last resort or if you simply just do not own the product to take a picture of it in the first place, but I got feedback from the ladies on my Facebook page, and they ALL prefer photos you take yourself.

I’d love to have a guest post from YOU lovely ladies at least twice a month. So if you’re interested, you have PLENTY of time to get your stuff together and figure out how you’d like to contribute. I don’t mind if you already have a natural hair blog for the guest-blogger spots, all I ask is that whatever you decide to contribute be exclusive to Curl, please… and not be reproduced anywhere else, because that wouldn’t make it very special Your post will however, be linked to your own blog/youtube.

If you’re interested, please feel free to shoot me an email or leave a comment below. If you have any questions, leave them below (I kinda rushed thru this post).

This should be a fun project and I look forward to working with you

*bookmark* www.curlplease.com and stay tuned! The blog will be up within the next month or so!

]]>http://accidentalbeauty.com/features/hair/natural-hair-care/curl-please-looking-for-natural-hair-guest-bloggers/feed/56http://accidentalbeauty.com/features/hair/natural-hair-care/curl-please-looking-for-natural-hair-guest-bloggers/Win a brand new NYX Cosmetics Beauty To Go box set!http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccidentalBeautyBlog/~3/y25G51Q2klU/
http://accidentalbeauty.com/features/contests-giveaways/win-a-brand-new-nyx-cosmetics-beauty-to-go-box-set/#commentsMon, 07 Feb 2011 17:21:24 +0000Reshahttp://accidentalbeauty.com/?p=3825Beauty on the Go set, "The Ultimate Beauty Box". Retailing for $45, this baby has everything you need and looks awesome for travel. This is a great product to introduce you to the NYX brand (pronounced "nicks"). It is loaded, you guys...]]>

It’s giveaway time again! Oooo, fun!! NYX Cosmetics has a whole bunch of really fun new products, lot’s of new sets, sure to tickle your makeup fancy. If you’re a NYX lover like me, you’re excited for this

Up for grabs is a brand new Beauty on the Go set, “The Ultimate Beauty Box”. Retailing for $45, this baby has everything you need and looks awesome for travel. This is also a great product to introduce you to the NYX brand. It is loaded, you guys…

]]>http://accidentalbeauty.com/features/contests-giveaways/win-a-brand-new-nyx-cosmetics-beauty-to-go-box-set/feed/162http://accidentalbeauty.com/features/contests-giveaways/win-a-brand-new-nyx-cosmetics-beauty-to-go-box-set/MAC Wonder Woman Collection, Photos, & Swatcheshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccidentalBeautyBlog/~3/t3BgYgQS5JM/
http://accidentalbeauty.com/makeup/product-swatches/mac-wonder-woman-collection-photos-swatches/#commentsThu, 03 Feb 2011 05:03:19 +0000Reshahttp://accidentalbeauty.com/?p=3763Wonder Woman, and she has burst her way onto the cosmetic scene with her very own super-sized collection by MAC. We (makeup fiends) weren't expecting this baby to drop until Feb. 10, but we got it almost two weeks early. I placed my order that morning and got it the very next day. Overnight shipping is a beast!]]>Look up in the sky! It’s a bird! No, wait…it’s…and invisible plane…..with a pretty hot chick…sitting…in…an invisible…plane?? Yes, kids. It’s Wonder Woman, and she has burst her way onto the cosmetic scene with her very own super-sized collection by MAC. We (makeup fiends) weren’t expecting this baby to drop until Feb. 10, but we got it almost two weeks early. I placed my order that morning and got it the very next day. Overnight shipping is a beast!

MAC released their much talked about Wonder Woman collection, and the first thing you’ll notice (if you’re a MAC fan) is that the prices and product size have gone way up but just for this collection. The MSF’s ($35 ea.), blushes ($24 ea.), and lipglasses ($20 ea.) are all notably larger, and combined with licensing, you’re paying a bit more for everything. Same deal with Venomous Villains sans larger size. The lipstick’s in this collection ($15 ea.) are regular size.

I didn’t even attempt to buy the eyeshadow quads, despite having my eye on Valiant. When I saw swatches of these shadows on various blogs who received the collection early, I was less than thrilled. The pigmentation wasn’t worth $40 in my opinion, and I already have similar colors of pretty much every eyeshadow they’re selling in this collection. I didn’t buy any of the pigments or glitters, liners, or mascaras…I just stuck with the following:

**I will post swatches of all lip products worn on actual lips soon. I wanted to hurry and get this up for you. I’ll edit later!

OVERALL THOUGHTS

To be honest, nothing in this collection (product-wise) is a must-have, in my humble opinion. I think that if you’re a serious collector or a die-hard Wonder Woman fan, you’ll wanna grab a few items if not all. Or, if you don’t have any colors like these, you may wanna pick up a few things. The colors are nice, but they’re so similar to shades you may already own — I know I may not have 100% exact dupes, but I have a few “close enough’s”. I’m on the fence because I really like the collection, but at the same time I don’t feel many of the products are even worth pouring out your hard-earned money. I also have an issue with the way the new mega-size lipglasses are packaged. You literally have to yank the wand out because it gets super tight when pulling thru the stopper — causing you to actually fling a nice amount of gloss somewhere other than your lips. I’ve lost a few traces of lipglass on my desk when doing swatches. You have to pull the wand very slowly and firmly so that it doesn’t splash around, in order to preserve your product that you paid $6 extra for.

I did notice that the new blushes have a much silkier formula, and aren’t nearly as chalky as some MAC blushes can be. They both leave a very subtle yet beautiful sheen on the cheeks. Mighty Aphrodite is really gorgeous, probably my favorite item from the entire collection. I can’t wait to rock that in the summer. The lipglass formula’s feel smoother to me, but this could be because of how they’re applied — creating a smoother line across your lips. Golden Lariat is beautiful in theory, but it didn’t give me a ton of color. It’s still very pretty though, I got a nice glow from it. Pink Power would look great on lighter skin-tones, or as a simple highlight on darker, cooler skin-tones. I didn’t get much color from that one either. I already had Russian Red (who doesn’t??), so I wasn’t gonna spend $15 just for comic book packaging lol.

I like the stuff, but I definitely don’t love it. I think this is a collection everyone should try out in person first if they can. A lot of things I was excited for, only turned out to be “just okay” for me. I wouldn’t personally rush out to get anything from this collection unless I just wanted to spend some money or was a huge Wonder Woman fan. MAC accidentally sent me an extra Athena’s Kiss lipglass, so I’ll be giving it away here soon

]]>http://accidentalbeauty.com/makeup/product-swatches/mac-wonder-woman-collection-photos-swatches/feed/37http://accidentalbeauty.com/makeup/product-swatches/mac-wonder-woman-collection-photos-swatches/Urban Decay Big Fatty Colored Mascara Review, Photos & Swatcheshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccidentalBeautyBlog/~3/mzoK1_OkpRM/
http://accidentalbeauty.com/reviews/eye-product-reviews/urban-decay-big-fatty-colored-mascara-review-photos-swatches/#commentsSat, 29 Jan 2011 02:48:18 +0000Reshahttp://accidentalbeauty.com/?p=3735Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras ($17 each). I ordered these from Hautelook the last time they had an Urban Decay sale, and they were around $4/each, so...not a bad deal, right? Well...]]>I am sittin’ here like a big kid watching Beauty & The Beast, and got this urge to rock my snuggie and sit at my desk and write up this review for you lovely people. I wanted to show you all four of the Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras ($17 each). I ordered these from Hautelook the last time they had an Urban Decay sale, and they were around $4/each, so…not a bad deal, right? Well…

Each Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascara is decorated with a psychedelic 70′s print and appropriate font. There’s a colorful 7.5g/0.26 US oz. of product, meant to give your lashes some fierce bangitybangness.

They come in four colors:

Electric Blue – bright turquoise

Flipside – bright teal

Black Cherry – burgundy

Indigo – ink blue (looks like a deep violet to me)

If you love the extra-thickening powers of Big Fatty Mascara, round out your collection with these wearable shades. Turquoise and navy hues give brown and blue eyes a jolt, purple shades make green eyes more dangerous, and burgundy adds drama to any eye color-a refreshing alternative to basic black.

Check out photos!

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
packaging (front)

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
packaging (back)

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
packaging – top

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
Electric Blue wand

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
Indigo wand

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
Black Cherry wand

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras
Flipside wand

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras

Urban Decay Big Fatty colored mascaras

Urban Decay Big Fatty mascara
Electric Blue

Urban Decay Big Fatty mascara
Indigo

Urban Decay Big Fatty mascara
Black Cherry

Urban Decay Big Fatty mascara
Flipside

PROS

Incredible color payoff!

Shows up wonderfully on very dark lashes (mine are black)

Because they’re so pigmented, you may not even need two coats

Provides decent lash thickness

CONS

Dries out quickly in the tube

Can flake pretty badly

Urban Decay could have sealed these to help prevent them from drying out so quickly

Slightly fume’y…causing light irritation

OVERALL

My review is pretty subjective, only because I do not know if the mascaras I received are even how Urban Decay usually makes these. There is a huge possibility that they’ve been sitting on the Hautelook shelves for a good year before they arrived to me. Or, this could very well be how they are. I’ll get into the cons a little further, but here’s a positive..they are super pigmented! Crazy pigmented. My lashes are very black, and with just one coat of this mascara you can see the color very vividly. The only color that didn’t show up on me as well was Black Cherry — but my lashes are black, and it’s already a dark color. It’s pretty though, and would pop on blond or even brown lashes.

To elaborate a bit more on my cons, I think that if Urban Decay sealed these mascaras then there would be less of a “Did I get a bad mascara?” ponderation, and more certainty that it just might be the actual formula. Since I can only speak on the mascaras that I have, if they are dried out, it’s a shame because they’re actually very bright, gorgeous mascaras. Sadly, my favorite color of the four — Electric Blue, was also the driest of the bunch. I gently flicked my lashes around after it dried and several flake-balls fell off. I was pretty heartbroken, the color is amazing. The other three also felt slightly dried out, and were less clumpy than Electric Blue — I still don’t know if that’s because they’re slightly younger than the Electric Blue mascara, or if that’s the formula prime of their production. Since these were a little dried out, they were also a tad fume’y. My eyes didn’t water full-on, but they had that “someone’s blowing air in my eye” feeling — even hours later. That sucks.

I’m going to give Urban Decay the benefit of the doubt and say that these mascaras aren’t normally like this. I know my other mascaras turn like this when they’re starting to get too much air into the tube. I’ve also noticed this happens a lot more with smaller mascara tube sizes. You know how MAC used to give away those mini Zoom Lash mascara samples? These are around the same size as those, and therefore dry out at the same rate. Most mascaras can last me a good 6-8 months with cycled use — but anything in the smaller packaging only lasts about 2-3 months. So yea…I said all that (LOL!) just to say that they do dry out fast — or at least that’s my assumption.

I’m very curious to know if anyone else has tried these, but who might have purchased them directly from Sephora or the Urban Decay website — and if there are any differences/similarities in formula. I did get these from Hautelook, and it took about 2 weeks to ship..so, who knows. For now, I have to give these mascaras the following grade below. Who knows, this may change if I’m able to try a guaranteed fresh mascara and compare.

RATING

]]>http://accidentalbeauty.com/reviews/eye-product-reviews/urban-decay-big-fatty-colored-mascara-review-photos-swatches/feed/27http://accidentalbeauty.com/reviews/eye-product-reviews/urban-decay-big-fatty-colored-mascara-review-photos-swatches/Rock & Republic Eyeshadow Swatches pt.2http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccidentalBeautyBlog/~3/DQzmNQ9VmIQ/
http://accidentalbeauty.com/reviews/eye-product-reviews/26-rock-republic-eyeshadow-swatches/#commentsFri, 28 Jan 2011 02:48:21 +0000Reshahttp://accidentalbeauty.com/?p=3696Rock & Republic eyeshadows nearly a week late, but instead focus on how happy I am to finally have them. I haven't been this excited about a cosmetic brand for a long time, but Rock & Republic has made some awesome makeup. It's really a shame that they're discontinuing everything, but...I'm happy I was able to try out as many products as possible before they are gone forever.]]>I won’t focus on the fact I received my package of Rock & Republic eyeshadows nearly a week late, but instead focus on how happy I am to finally have them. I haven’t been this excited about a cosmetic brand for a long time, but Rock & Republic has made some awesome makeup. It’s really a shame that they’re discontinuing everything, but…I’m happy I was able to try out as many products as possible before they are gone forever.

Each Rock & Republic eyeshadow is $28 and weighs in at a good 0.11oz/3g, and is gorgeously tucked away into it’s signature metal case donning the super sexy R&R logo. There’s a little mirror inside of each eyeshadow compact, which is something you don’t get with most eyeshadows (but will find in a few high-end brands). You get double the amount of product as you would a MAC eyeshadow (which is 0.5oz/1.5g and $14.50). However, If you hurry, you can buy these babies at $14 $7 a piece (use code ROCKCOSMETICS to get the additional 50% off)…

These are my favorite eyeshadows that I own, brand’wise. To me, they’re everything an eyeshadow should be — smooth, silky, richly pigmented, non-chalky, long-lasting, blendable, buildable, and beautiful. Rock & Republic totally nailed the formula, it’s gorgeous and these eyeshadows have the best texture. I really do love all of these, and feeling rather foolish after saying just last year, “Ehh, I don’t need anymore eyeshadows…I’m not interested in these at all”. Welp! That was a lie LOL!

A lot, I know…I do love them all but those are my top picks. There are a good 4 or 5 shadows that I didn’t buy yet, but will more than likely pick up soon. I think that you guys would truly love these eyeshadows if you haven’t already tried them. To pretty much have $21 taken off the $28 price is simply music to my wallet.

]]>http://accidentalbeauty.com/features/contests-giveaways/facebook-giveaway-win-mac-style-curve-lipstick/feed/0http://accidentalbeauty.com/features/contests-giveaways/facebook-giveaway-win-mac-style-curve-lipstick/L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes Mascara Review & Photoshttp://feedproxy.google.com/~r/AccidentalBeautyBlog/~3/1CoaBV1IGlU/
http://accidentalbeauty.com/reviews/eye-product-reviews/loreal-voluminous-million-lashes-mascara-review-photos/#commentsSun, 23 Jan 2011 21:36:37 +0000Reshahttp://accidentalbeauty.com/?p=3668L'Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara in "blackest-black", and I did purchase it quite a while ago but haven't gotten around to using it until recently. This mascara promises to define, volumize and lengthen your lashes without clumps. Does it deliver? Check it out...]]>Happy Sunday, guys! Hope your weekend has been going great so far, as we wind down and get ready to start another week. Today I wanted to review a mascara that I’ve been using for about two weeks now. It’s the L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara in “blackest-black”, and I did purchase it quite a while ago but haven’t gotten around to using it until recently. This mascara promises to define, volumize and lengthen your lashes without clumps. Does it deliver? Check it out…

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Lashes mascara comes in a “gold” tube with a fat, spiky, rubberized wand that tapers on both ends to allow you get every lash on your inner and outer corners. You get 0.03fl oz. of product for around $8 or so, wherever L’Oreal products are sold.

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara – the wand

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara – the wand

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara – the wand

my bare, uncurled lashes

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

extreme closeup of L’Oreal Voluminous Million Mascara
-two coats

PROS

Inexpensive and easy to find

Doesn’t irritate my sensitive eyes

Great wand design allows you to get just about every lash

Decent formula, smooth and not super clumpy

Lengthened and volumized my lashes really nicely

Really makes my lashes stand out and more noticeable, even behind my glasses

Buildable up to 3 coats, so I can go for something subtle or really dramatic without risking a clumpy mess

My lashes hold their shape with this mascara all day until I’m ready to remove it

CONS

For me, after a good 8 hours this stuff can seriously flake

Weird scent, as typical with most drugstore mascaras

OVERALL

I really like this mascara. Million Lashes is so easy for me to apply without making a huge mess on my eyelids or lower lashline, but then again it took me a while to nail proper mascara application lol. The only thing I really don’t like about this mascara is that when it eventually does start to flake, it’s not just one or two lil specks….it’s a whole mess of flakes. Thank goodness this only happens (to me) after a long day when I’m about to remove it anyway. It won’t flake that bad on me really, as long as I don’t touch my eye lol. I think it can flake on anyone sooner though, if you’re applying too much or if you happen to rub your eyes while this stuff is on your lashes. I think if L’Oreal can figure out how to make a less flaky formula, it would get higher marks from me. I know a lot of people who have used this mascara and have hated it, but your love for any given mascara depends greatly on the current condition of your lashes and your application technique. My mom has shorter lashes than me, so she hates just about every mascara that promises “length” — I mean, it can only do but so much if you already have super short lashes. My lashes aren’t super long either, but they’re slightly longer than hers and mine naturally curl while her’s are straight. I have always liked the L’Oreal “Voluminous” series of mascaras, I think it’s a solid drugstore brand overall. This actual mascara isn’t waterproof, so be careful if you’re emotional and prone to crying a lot. I’m not sure if they have a waterproof version, but it might be worth looking into.

I was contacted by a cosmetic company called One Night Cosmetics to review their ‘One Nite Set‘ in the color Tan. Each kit costs $34.95 and contains 2 shades of concealers, eye shadow, cake eyeliner, shine control powder, bronzer, lipstick, lipgloss, mascara, and brow tint. It is not designed to replace your normal makeup, but just to have that ability to fix some unexpected situations. The compact is roughly the size of a credit card, and comes with two pouches to carrying the complete set.

From the website:

One Night Cosmetics was developed out of the frustrations of being a woman always on the go. We all want to look our best at all times, without carrying a suitcase of supplies.

Don’t you hate trying to fit bulky make-up into your clutch when going out on the town? What about traveling, and wanting to touch up without having to dig through luggage? Quick and compact, one night is there for you for a quick touch-up or in an emergency. We developed a credit-card size, slim and sleek touch up kit that will fit in your sexy little clutch or wristlet, or slip into a pocket or purse!

* With a One Night Touch-up kit, you can leave your regular bulky makeup in your bathroom, yet still have all the necessities for your night on the town.
* It’s also a must have for travel: Keep your big makeup in your checked luggage and you can touch-up easily even sitting on the plane.
* The One Night Set is designed to last many uses, despite it’s convenient small size.
* Keep one in your day purse at all times, so you can dash out the door without taking your bathroom with you. You never know when you might meet a friend for a drink after work.

There are some things in life that you can tell aren’t made very well just by looking at a few photos. So without further ado…

just for reference…a $34 Kat Von D eyeshadow palette

Yep…

The basic idea of their products is to give you a quick and easy solution to fix your makeup without having to lug around 45 different products in your purse or clutch. We like this idea, right? I know I do. However, the issue isn’t the idea…it’s pretty much everything else. The company shouts on their website that you’re getting “premium quality” makeup solutions…but you’re not — there is no quality. This set can easily be compared to dollar store quality makeup at best. Kat Von D palettes are around that price and completely surpass these compacts in the quality category (and every category). It’s possible to create tiny items in a much more beautiful package — Smashbox does it all the time. I’m having such a hard time understanding why this costs so much, because again, where is the “premium quality”? The brushes are extremely flimsy and cheap, and impossible to work with. The super tiny mascara wands aren’t very functional and the mascara formula really smells like plastic. Because the mascara wand is to awkwardly tiny, it’d be easy to scrape your eyeball with the edge of the cap. Did you notice how poor the swatches were? Believe me, I swiped each color a good 4-5 times. The actual compact itself is extremely cheap looking, and you just don’t see where your $34.95 went with this set. The print-outs (business cards, product box) that came with the package are also basic and poorly done.

*sigh*

I really wanted to love this product because I do love the idea behind it…but if you want to charge people $34.95 for something, then you have to give them their money’s worth — no excuses. I don’t think anyone should have to pay over $3.95 for this, to be honest. Everything about this set is cheap and the actual makeup really isn’t good. It’s definitely NOT worth the money and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. It needs to be completely redone and reformulated, because despite being a great idea, its poorly executed.

RATING

*No matter how critical the review, I made a promise to always remain respectful and diplomatic — meaning no cussing and overly offensive language. My loyalty is to my readers, and they deserve my complete honesty. For more on how products are reviewed on Accidental Beauty, please read our Policy & Disclosure.